Photos from Pete's party

A couple of photos from the party. Use your imagination on the cake - it's supposed to be a glass of dark beer, and the candles are in the shape of 40 :) Go on - really stretch your imagination lol. (I had to persuade Billy that Daddy wouldn't be able to blow 40 candles out even if we had that many!). It did taste a lot better than it looked anyway!

A few people commented previously on the nice view we have from our back deck. Here are a couple of better photos.

You may be able to distantly see a house & barn in the centre of the photo towards the back. Apparently (I'm not a local, but I've been told) that's called "Dunmore House" and was built in the 1820s.

I just found this on the net - fascinating! I must see if it's open to the public, or a residence or what! I have a mission :)

This land was a grant of 1000 acres that was selected by George Lang in 1822. George Lang had arrived in Van Dieman's Land in August of 1821 and proceeded to Sydney soon after. He applied for the position of Principal Clerk at Newcastle in 1822, however was appointed Storekeeper at the Commissariat Department at Liverpool instead. 13
A slab hut was erected on the grant. When George died in 1825 aged 23 the 1000 acre grant, named 'Dunmore' after George's mother, passed to George's brother Andrew. Andrew had followed George and their eldest brother John Dunmore Lang to Australia. Andrew and his father William worked hard to establish Dunmore however William drowned in 1830 when the vessel he was sailing to Sydney was wrecked in a squall. Andrew continued on at the Estate and a mill, Presbyterian Church and school were completed. Dunmore House, built before the death of William was a two story stone building facing towards the river.
Andrew Lang was involved in the community and on many committees such as the Maitland District Pastoral Association, Committee to collect subscription for the distressed in Ireland; Hunter River Vineyard Association; Committee for Maitland Hospital; Judge at Hunter River Agricultural Society show.14
In August 1844 Andrew's mother Mary Dunmore died at his residence 'Dunmore' aged 75. It was written of her -
' Mrs. Lang has been long and extensively known, both in this district and in Sydney, as a person of a remarkably vigorous mind, of great decision of character, of unbending religious principle, and of warm active and untiring benevolence. She will be long and deeply regretted.'26
On the 8th November 1849 Andrew Lang married Emily, the eldest daughter of Lieutenant William Caswell at Balickerra, Williams River (http://www.jenwilletts.com/early_settler2.htm)

Here's a closer look at it.